Hacker News Reader

Comment by ad_fontes | Hacker News Reader

IIRC, they don't have a cellular radio in the vehicle (or even a FM radio). All the connectivity is done via Bluetooth with a mobile app.

It's been a while since I read up on them and things might have changed, but I have a lot respect for what they're doing. Full embracing right to repair and customer privacy when the entire industry is moving at lightning speed in the opposite direction.

View on HN

Aren't their companies that are doing their telemetry over bluetooth bridge to phone' internet? Not saying slate necessarily does, but it's certainly an available exfil surface, especially if there's a 'manage your slate vehicle' app.

You can always just not connect the bluetooth.

Well, sure, but if memory serves, there are car platforms where you connect for say playing music and the cars app on your phone uses the bluetooth connection to exfil data to the car company via the phone's internet.

I'm just saying that "disable car's telemetry" is not necessarily 100% for preventing exfil of car telemetry if you then connect your phone while having the car app running.

Like, I'm not sure of the company, but I know there was some "I modded my car so it couldn't phone home but I'm still getting reports from the manufacturer about excessive acceleration" and it ended up being because the owner had disabled the car's telemetry but was using the app on the phone for remote start and music or whatever.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com